While traditional agricultural methods can be very productive it is still important to keep up with new developments, as demand for foodstuffs grows. The UN estimates that by 2050, global demand for food will be three times greater than today. Many countries are working to sustain their agricultural resources and promote good farming practices. Learning World looks at lessons on agriculture in Pakistan, Cuba and China.

Pakistan: seeding, harvesting and eating

Monsoon floods in Pakistan devastated the country’s agricultural sector. Now as the country recovers from the crisis, many organisations are giving lessons in modern agricultural methods to local communities.

75 million Pakistanis are directly dependent on farming, a sector that makes up 21% of its GDP. Improving overall quality in this area therefore, is critical.

The US economic embargo resulted in Cuba investing in internal resources like agriculture to promote farming techniques which address the country’s needs. New curriculums aim to capitalise on a new breed of young land-owning farmers. Colleges are a vital to teaching the next generation the ins and outs of agriculture.

The future of the island is in the students hands as Cuba continues to import 80% of what it consumes. Dismantling the state monopoly on the agricultural market however, is another step for a different day.

In China some young people are following in their family’s footsteps, in the ancient art of cultivating green tea. Lessons aim to take children through the A to Z of the tea making process whilst raising awareness of the history and culture of this thirst quenching plant.

When the hard work is done, the students get to sit back, sip the fruits of their labour and learn more about the history of tea, whilst listening to some entertaining stories about the origin of the drink thrown in for good measure… Like the one about the Emperor who fell asleep under a wild tea tree with a boiling cup of water… The rest is history…